Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

eSUPERCROSS AMA Camel Su ercross Series: Round 1 ~ C() 0'\ 0'\ ~ Damon Bradshaw (8) pulled the holeshot in the 250cc feature. He led for the first 12 laps before dropping back to third. LaRocco performs Orlando magic ·again! Nothing like getting a second chance: Mike laRocco, once again, scored the opening round win at Orlando. Last year, he broke his wrist two events later. By Kit Palmer Photos by Jim Talkington ORLANDO, FL, JAN. 9 t must have felt like deja'vu for Team Kawasaki's Mike laRocco. But it did, in fact, happen before. For the second year in a row, the rider from South Bend, Indiana, opened the Camel Supercross Series with a victory in the Coors Light Challenge at the Orlando Citrus Bowl. But LaRocco admitted that he had to work a lot harder this year than he did last year, as he was forced to come from behind to pull off his third-career victory in front of 36,524 spectators. "Last year I led for most of the race, but this time I had to work real hard, having to come from behind," said an elated laRocco. "I guess I'm getting a second chance. Last year, two races after the Orlando Supercross, I broke my wrist. Hopefully that won't happen I again." 4 laRocco, on his Tom Morgan-tuned Kawasaki KX25O, began the 2D-Iap 250cc feature as far back as fifth place and had to pass such notables as Yamaha's Damon Bradshaw, two-time Western Regional 12Scc Supercross Champion Jeremy McGrath, two-time Eastern Regional 12Scc Supercross Champion Brian Swink, and SOOcc National MX Champion Mike Kiedrowski before taking the checkered flag first. Kiedrowski, LaRocco's teammate, finished second, giving Team Kawasaki a 1-2 sweep. Bradshaw, who led the first 12 laps, was third and Team Honda's McGrath and his teammate, defending series champ Jeff Stanton, rounded out the top five. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night was Stanton's disappointing - for him - fifth-place finish. After finishing a close second to McGrath in a heat race, the three-time Camel Supercross Champion was no match for the four riders who finished ahead of him. In fact, Stanton came within less than a straightaway of being lapped by LaRocco. Stanton had no excuse for his lackluster performance. "I just couldn't get it going, that's all there is.to it," Stanton said. Another rider who had a disappointing night was Jeff "Chicken" Matiasevich, who was making his debut as a member of Team Suzuki after sporting Kawasaki's colors for most of his career. A crash in his heat and a poor start in his semi forced Ma tiasevich to qualify for the feature via the last chance qualifier, which he won. In the feature he finished 11th. Many predicted that Bradsha..., a 17time Supercross winner and last year's series runner-up, would win the '93 series opener, bu t the 20-year-old was quite satisfied to have finished third at Orlando. "I had major surgery on my knee last July and I hadn't ridden a motorcycle up until a few weeks ago," Bradshaw said. "Although I wanted to win, of course, my main goal was be in the race and finish on the rostrum. I wanted to ride smart tonight and not take any big chances. Points are just as important as winning races." For winning the World Sports-promoted Orlando Supercross, 22-year-old LaRocco took home the lion's share of the $30,000 2S0cc class purse, a check worth $5000. Brian Swink's advancement to the 2S0cc class from the 12Scc class this year, left the door wide open for gold in the Eastern Regional 12Scc Supercross feature. Ezra Lusk, from Bainbridge, Georgia, took full advantage of Swink's absence by scoring a wire-ta-wire victory in the IS-lap race. The I6-year-old quickly established about a five-second lead over Team Honda's newest recruit, Doug Henry, and maintained that ad vantage for most of the race. Lusk eventually took the checkered flag with

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